


Episode 1.20: Run Pig Run

by Starbooks13



Series: Spiders Have To Stick Together [20]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Ultimate Spider-Man (Cartoon)
Genre: Angry!Natasha, Bargains, Blending Universes, But So Can Loki, Canon Compliant, Enemies With Benefits, F/M, Foe Yay, Loki Has Battle Scars, Loki Knows When He's Been Beat, Loki's in The Doghouse, Lust/Hate, Natasha Can Be Cruel, Negotiations, Protective!Natasha, Slight Thor: The Dark World Spoilers, Spiders Have To Stick Together, Tiny bit of Loki & Frigga Feels, Women Being Awesome, sort of not really
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-04
Updated: 2014-01-04
Packaged: 2018-01-07 09:31:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,041
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1118292
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Starbooks13/pseuds/Starbooks13
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Loki admits defeat and Natasha gets some payback.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Episode 1.20: Run Pig Run

**Author's Note:**

> Finally got to this episode! I hope the fic is worth the in-story build-up, but then again, this is about what happens after the pay-off. Again, please watch "Run Pig Run"--it dovetails so beautifully with this series. I didn't realize how well it fit until I watched it again, and it made me squeal with joy (yes, like a pig, ha ha, had to get that out of my system).

                It was only fair that he and Natasha met on her territory this time.  After all, he’d had the upper hand at their last meeting, and now…well, now he needed to get on the Black Widow’s good side.  He relished her hatred, but he trod a fine line in that department as there was such a thing as too much hatred.  And he had crossed that line when he began targeting Spider-Man.  It was why he had purposefully arranged for the Avengers—minus his brother—to be absent from New York when he struck.  Red Skull and his HYDRA minions could be useful, despite their overall repulsiveness; the Skull was incredibly easy to manipulate if one knew which buttons to push.

                He waited for her in her hotel room, knowing she would return from completing her latest assignment, another seduction and information gathering session which he would have loved to watch.  She was magnificent when she worked, spinning her webs with such lovely subtlety that her prey would never even know they had been ensnared until it was too late.  It was what she had done to him, after all.

                When she entered the main room of her suite, she seemed unsurprised to see him there.  But she also seemed distinctly displeased, considering she immediately pulled a gun on him.  “Give me one good reason not to kill you right now.”

                Loki tilted his head from where he lounged on the couch.  “You’d miss me?”

                “Not good enough.”  Yet she did not shoot.  She knew as well as he did that bullets couldn’t kill him.  Oh, they hurt like Hel if they pierced his skin, certainly, but they could not kill him.

                “Your protégé lives, Agent Romanoff.  You have no reason to want me dead.”

                “I had plenty of reason before.  Regardless of your failure, you did still try to kill him.  Multiple times.”

                “I believe your exact words were that you would kill me if I touched him.  I’m fairly certain I never touched him, though you are welcome to prove me wrong.”

                She shook her head.  “If this is your way of apologizing, it’s not working.”

                “I have no intention of apologizing.  But I wish to declare a ceasefire.”

                She arched an eyebrow.  “Explain.”

                Oh, she was not going to let him off easy, was she? He gritted his teeth, but gave her what she wanted.  It was a small price to pay to get back in her…better graces.  “I underestimated the boy’s value.  I knew you and my brother would defend him, but I was not quite,” he winced.  “Prepared for the depth of SHIELD’s involvement.  I had thought him expendable to Fury.”

                “You thought wrong.”  She gave no outward sign, but he knew he was on the right track.  His humiliation always sated her anger.

                “Clearly.  And, well, I feel I have made the boy suffer enough.” The unspoken “and you” hung in the air between them.  “He endured the humiliation of appearing as a pig, as I endured the humiliation of being bested at my own game by a mortal child.  I believe that’s a fair trade, yes?”

                “What do you want from me, then?”

                He gave her a look of false innocence, mirroring the one she’d given him at Doom’s castle.  “Why, my dear Widow, whatever gave you the idea that I wanted something?”

                Now she smirked.  “You would not be making this offer if you didn’t want something from me in return.”

                “You wound me, pet.”

                “I can if you want me to.”

                He sighed.  “Very well.  I want you to have Thor call off the blasted hunters.  He’s the only one with the influence and authority to do it without me owing anyone else…favors.”  Amora had offered to pacify Skurge in exchange for Loki being in her debt, but he simply loathed owing anyone, let alone the Enchantress.  “If you wish, you may tell him of our bargain.  I know he’s fond of the boy as well.”

                Natasha did not appear at all convinced, though she did lower her gun.  “And you promise not to target Spider-Man directly?” 

                He smirked.  “You doubt my word?”

                “God of Lies.”

                “Ah, yes.”  He rose and moved to stand before her.  “So what will make you believe me?”

                “Swear on Frigga’s soul.”

                He froze, chest so tight he almost could not breathe.  The scars on his chest throbbed beneath his clothes.  Of course she knew of his mother’s death.  Of course Thor would have told her of the bond he’d had with Frigga.  And of course she would use it against him.  He’d expect nothing less from her; they knew how to cut each other the deepest.  

                Once he could breathe again, he reached up a hand and gently stroked her cheek.  Oh, how he would love to bruise that flawless skin.  “You are cruel, little spider,” he murmured, venom thick in his voice.

                Natasha was unmoved.  “Do you swear?”

                “I swear on the soul of Frigga All-Mother that I shall cease my vendetta against Spider-Man if Thor causes the hunters of Asgard to cease their persecution of me.”  He grinned savagely.  “Though I make no promises should he interfere in my plans again, with or without your manipulations.”

                “I can accept that.”

                Ah, sweet victory.  And speaking of sweet things, she still had not moved away from him.  He moved his hand to run his thumb across her lovely mouth.  “Care to seal our bargain with a kiss?”

                “Will it make you leave?”

                “Not in the mood for another seduction tonight, Natasha?”

                 “If you want the chance to seduce me, Loki, you need to earn it.”

                Ah, so he was still, as the mortals say, “in the doghouse.”  But he would win her over eventually, or she would come to him when she wanted something.  It was the way their game worked, and though he had no doubt she would devour him someday, he enjoyed playing with her far too much to walk away.  He took her hand and brushed his lips against her skin in a teasing caress.  “As the lady wishes.”

                He vanished before she could reply, the taste of victory and gunpowder residue from her skin thick on his tongue.


End file.
